With the state of Texas slipping into moderate drought conditions in recent months — and the specter of a catastrophic drought hanging over residents’ heads — access to local water is as important as ever.

For the first time since its creation in 2002, U.S. House District 31 has been “targeted” by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a competitive election to unseat nine-term GOP incumbent Rep. John Carter.

Texas House District 54 Rep. Scott Cosper, R-Killeen, continued to add to his re-election campaign war chest in January, according to campaign finance filings due to the Texas Ethics Commission this week.

Four state legislators from the Killeen/Fort Hood area received perfect scores on a legislative scorecard from anti-abortion and natural death nonprofit Texas Alliance for Life, according to a news release.

In a move that breaks traditional practices, the Bell County Democratic Party announced it is distancing itself from Kathy Richerson, the only Democratic candidate for the Texas House District 54 race, saying she filed her candidacy without consultation and lacked knowledge on local issues.

After a busy weekend in Washington, D.C., U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, visited Central Texas on Tuesday to update his constituents on the status of the government shutdown and benefits of the tax cuts passed last month.

Incumbent Texas House District 54 Rep. Scott Cosper, R-Killeen, has a big lead in campaign fundraising over his Republican opponents — Brad Buckley and Larry Smith — according to semiannual finance reports released this week by the Texas Ethics Commission.

With less than two months to go before the Republican primary for the November 2018 general election, the Killeen Daily Herald will hold a House District 54 candidates’ forum Monday at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center.

Studio-Makeup by Tabitha will host a grand opening with a “Lipstick-n-Lashes” theme from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 10. Guests are invited to view the new studio, mingle, network and chat about “lipstick and lashes.”